“a time to plant…” (Ecclesiastes 3: 2)

The farmer is one of the most faithful among us. The farmer walks out into a vacant field, surveys empty land and, yet, in his or her mind’s eye is able to see a great harvest.

The farmer knows that the harvest will demand hard work. The farmer is well aware that the harvest will require the cooperation of God. The farmer is fully conscious that the whole crop could be lost. Nevertheless, because of what he or she has the faith to see, the farmer plants.

Though we may not be farmers, the reality for us is the same. There can be, nor will there ever be any harvest unless by faith something has been planted. The truth about this is far too often forgotten. 1). We complain instead of planting. The weather is bad. The ground is hard. The laborers are few. Excuses, excuses, excuses; 2). We converse instead of planting. We talk about what we are going to do, what we should do or what we should have done. We are all talk and no stalk! 3). We criticize instead of planting. We make fun of the fools who brave the elements and take the risks. We jab at what they do and how they do it while never having anything to show for our own efforts; and 4). We cop out instead of planting. We leave the planting to others and just hope to hang around somebody else’s harvest. But, God bless the child that’s got his own.

If you desire a harvest in any area of your life, it can only come if you have the courage and faith to plant. Your seeds may be few. Your plot many be small. The forecast may be grim, but the time to plant is now.